Another time Another place
by Quill of Minerva
Summary: They were consumed by a whirlwind romance but war reared its ugly head and changed their priorities. Did they have their one chance of happiness?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Another time. Another place.

Author: Quill of Minerva.

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me but to JK Rowling. I'm just exercising my artistic licence and writing a little story for no profit and complete enjoyment.

Summary: They were consumed by a whirlwind romance but war reared its ugly head and changed their priorities. Did they have their one chance of happiness?

Chapter One.

_Dearest Armando,_

_It was such a welcomed surprise to receive your owl. Being here in France can be somewhat lonesome at times and makes me crave news from home. I went through a conflict of emotions as I read your letter. I went from joy to sorrow in a matter of a few lines._

_I always thought if I were to return to Hogwarts, I would be working alongside you. The news of your illness saddens me greatly, though I must congratulate you on your very 'Slytherin' ways of asking me the one thing you know I cannot turn down. Therefore, I accept the position offered by you to ease your so called 'burden'._

_I will be released from my contract at the end of the term. When I first told them of my possible plans, they were reluctant to lose me and offered me all the wealth imaginable. Well, perhaps that is an exaggeration, but I was offered a very appetising deal. Then, overnight, they suddenly became very keen to get rid of me. I can only put this down to two reasons. The first one being that I'm failing miserably at my job and the second reason, you had something to do with it. I discounted the first reason instantly and came to the obvious conclusion: Blackmail! I will be coming to see you in your portrait to find out what you had on Celia D'Arby. It must be something interesting to get her to change her mind. I don't think anyone has done that in sixty-three years. _

_My dear friend, I am thinking of you at this time, and I send my love and respect to you. Rest well._

_Minerva _

The new headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looked up from the letter and caught the eye of the man hovering in the portrait to his left. Albus Dumbledore folded the letter and placed it back into the drawer where it had been only moments before.

"This appointment could be problematic," said Albus, rising from the chair and making his way over to the portrait.

Armando Dippet, the recently deceased headmaster of Hogwarts shifted awkwardly in his chair. He had been finding it difficult to adjust to life inside a portrait. He had yet to figure out how to quickly jump between portraits and was now facing the piecing gaze of his former colleague.

"Albus," he began, "there is no reason why it should be. After all, you are still friends, and she will be a great asset to the school."

"I don't doubt that," replied Albus. "My Transfiguration classes couldn't have been passed into better hands than hers. It's just been a long time since we have actually seen each other."

Albus turned from the portrait housing Armando's likeness and went back to the desk. He sat down behind it and pulled open the drawer to expose the familiar green scrawl of the woman with whom he had shared seven months of what could only be described as bliss. Minerva McGonagall had been a former student of his, a sort of protégé.

She had left Hogwarts with full honours and gone to train at a prestigious wizarding university. She returned three years later, a woman. Their paths had crossed at a Ministry function and they embarked on an unexpected whirlwind romance. It had been consuming. Albus had never let himself think of what may have been if war hadn't reared its ugly head. It had been six years since they had fought side by side. Six years since they had buried friends and family. Six years since they had celebrated the end of the war. Six years since they had said goodbye and gone their separate ways. He could still remember the touch of her hand on his face as she told him that they would always be friends and that she would never forget him but they were needed in different places at that time. He had completely agreed with her and echoed her sentiments.

There had been no bitterness, no anger and no accusations. They had parted with a smile and fond memories of their time together. She had departed to France to join their Ministry of Magic while he had been thrust into the limelight as the saviour of the wizarding world. They had kept in contact through the years though it wasn't regular correspondence.

Armando's voice startled Albus from his thoughts "Are you worried that there may be unresolved feelings that may reveal themselves?"

Albus shook his head. "No, I don't foresee any real problems. A lot of time has passed and we've changed and both moved on. I'm looking forward to working with her."

"Good, good. I knew I could rely on you to be grown up about this," Armando said putting his hand up to stop Albus from butting in. "I want the best for Hogwarts, Albus. I have always wanted that, and though I'm dead and can't do much from this portrait, before I passed I was able to secure an asset for the school. It would make me sad to see her not welcomed here."

"Only a fool would send someone of her calibre away," stated Albus "and I am no crackpot fool, Armando."

"I know, dear boy," said Armando with a kind smile.

Albus hid a grimace at the older man's term of endearment. It been many years since he had been able to get away with being called a boy, but Armando had insisted on calling him one. It was beyond frustrating, but as Armando had pointed out many times, there were worse names to be called.

"Professor McGonagall will be here tomorrow," continued Armando.

"Well, I had better advise the house elves that a new professor is arriving and that she needs rooms," replied Albus as he wondered how tomorrow's greeting would go.

To be continued…..


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/n: I'd like to say a special thank you to Miss Ang who is playing beta reader for me and for poking me a lot to get me back into writing**_.

**Chapter Two.**

The train station was a beehive of activity. People were gathered in clusters near the train, engaged in last minute chatter. The station bell rang out and the train rumbled into life and began to move. Some of the people on the platform began to walk along side the slow moving train bidding a final farewell to their loved ones.

Minerva McGonagall watched with interest as a figure suddenly appeared from the shadows and ran forward. His arm stretched out as he made a lunge for one of the compartments. With an almost feline agility, he pounced through the door just as it was closing and disappeared into the compartment. With one last piecing note from the train's whistle and the squeal of the steel wheels on steel rail, the train quickly moved out of the station leaving people staring after it.

As people filed out of the station around her, Minerva watched the train till it was a mere dot on the horizon.. She was unaware of the curious looks that came her way. Years of being surrounded by non-wizarding folks had forced her to accept the looks and now it was just a part of everyday life.

" 'Cuse me, Miss," came a shout from the other side of the platform. "That was the last train outta ere."

Minerva looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man waving at her. He was wearing a blue uniform, and she assumed he worked at the station. He was looking at her with a curious concern. He obviously thought she was one of those city folks who didn't understand why trains run all the time from village stations.

"Yes, I know." She refused to shout like some fish wife so she answered in a direct voice, slightly louder than her normal speakingone.

She didn't think he would have heard her, and she watched as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulders before disappearing in a rickety looking ticket office. Minerva remained seated for another ten minutes. The station lights dimmed around her but a dip in lights didn't unnerve her. The dim light actually assisted her in slipping out of the station unnoticed.

Minerva looked behind her before slipping amongst a group of trees that hid a small clearing. To most people who stumbled across this little clearing, it was simply a small patch of grass that wasn't much use to anyone apart from those young lovers who picnicked here from time to time. To Minerva and others of her kind, the clearing gave them a chance to transport themselves elsewhere. It was an ideal Apparition site. She would Apparate to the outskirts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from here.

The school was warded with Anti-Apparition spells to prevent people from entering or leaving Hogwarts. Apparition wasn't her favourite means of traveling but it had its uses. Minerva remembered as a teen, she had been desparate to finally get her license to Apparate. Her first time had been successful but far from smooth. She had felt like she was being pushed and pulled in many directions and felt rather ill through it all. Now, she could Apparate without any annoying side effects, though she wished the audible pop when she Apparated could be softer or non-existent.

In the silence of the clearing, Minerva found herself reflecting on the past and thinking about what lay ahead of her. She hadn't seen Albus Dumbledore for years. They had exchanged owls from time to time but letter writing was something very different from face to face contact. When she had accepted Armando's offer, she hadn't really put a lot of thought into meeting Albus after all this time. It was a chance to return home and do something that she loved: teach. Working at the French Ministry of Magic had been rewarding in many ways, but France wasn't home.

Armando's letter had been welcomed and she jumped at the chance he was offering. It was only now that she wondered about all the small things. When she saw Albus, what would she call him? Headmaster or Albus? Should she embrace him, shake his hand or simply stand there? Would he have disclosed their personal history to other staff members? Should she say something or was it never to be mentioned? How would working under him be? If Minerva hadn't prided herself on her Gryffindor courage, she probably would have invented some reason why she couldn't take the position.

Minerva stomped her foot and took a deep breath. If she was going to Apparate to Hogwarts, she would need a clear head. She didn't fancy being spliced only to turn up at the gates of Hogwarts with a leg or her head missing. That wouldn't make a good first impression after all these years. Minerva closed her eyes, and with a faint pop, she had Apparated away.

She appeared moments later and saw the stunning view of Hogwarts dominating the skyline. As she walked along the stone path that led to the gates, she wondered who would be meeting her and taking her up to the school. Maybe Albus would come down and meet her, but she wasn't expecting it. As she approached the gates, she decided that however Albus Dumbledore greeted her would be how she would judge their situation.

"Professor McGonagall," came a friendly greeting.

Minerva couldn't help but break into a warm smile. She would know that voice anywhere.

"Hagrid," she greeted warmly as the half man half giant opened the cast iron gates.

"Is good ter see ya afta all this time, Professor."

The last time Minerva had seen Hagrid, he had been a third year and already towering over his classmates and even the teachers. Now, he stood before her as a man, a very tall and broad man with a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard. His small black eyes gleamed in the moonlight and he had a smile that instantly made Minerva feel at ease.

"I'm glad to be back," she replied as she walked through the gates. "And, call me Minerva, Hagrid. You always did at school."

"Professor Dumbledore sent me down ter welcome you," Hagrid said as he began to lead the way up to the school. "Tha Minister arrived unannounced and Professor Dumbledore asked me ter meet with you."

"That's very kind of him and of you, Hagrid," Minerva answered with a smile. The suspicious part of her mind wondered if the Minister had really arrived at all and Albus was putting off their meeting. Well, she would find out in the morning and take it from there.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Another Time. Another Place.**_

A/N: Thank you Miss Ang for beta reading through this chapter for me and thank you for keeping the ADMMship alive.

_**Chapter Three.**_

Hagrid had shown her to her new rooms, and after a few minutes of telling her about the most recent pet he had reared from an egg, he was on his way. Minerva had promised to pop by the Game Keepers shed the following morning so she could meet his menagerie of pets. Meeting Hagrid at the gates had been a welcomed surprise to the predicament that Minerva was facing. His friendly disposition and the fact that he could talk for Scotland settled her nerves, and the walk up towards the school wasn't anything that like she had dreaded. The hour was late so they hadn't come across anyone apart from a peculiar little man that Hagrid introduced as Argus Filch, the caretaker. Minerva hadn't warmed to the man or his little cat who had hissed at her as she walked by. Minerva had resisted the urge to hiss back but promised herself that she would have words with that cat at some point during her stay at Hogwarts.

Minerva stood in the small entrance hall of her rooms. She liked that she didn't have to step from the corridor straight into her rooms. It gave her a sense of privacy. She had lacked privacy in France. Spending every hour of every day in a safe house with seven other French Aurors didn't allow for such things as privacy. It was a place to sleep and eat. To have her own rooms at last was a goddess send and something she would really enjoy.

She opened the wooden door and stepped into her new home. The living room was warm and inviting, decked out in gold and scarlet drapes. Gryffindor was the first thought that entered her mind as she looked around. The furniture was all made out of strong dark oak. Smooth to the touch and rich in colour. Empty bookshelves dominated one wall and Minerva couldn't wait to fill the shelves with books that she had had to keep in storage for six years. She made her way through the living room and opened another door that led into a small elegant bathroom. She could waste plenty of hours in that bathroom. Shutting the door, she made her way over to another door that she assumed to be the bedroom. She opened the door and was surprised to see her new classroom. Had the school shifted the placement of rooms since she had been here last? The Transfiguration classroom had always been on the fifth floor of the castle and the staff private rooms were on the seventh floor. She made a mental note to enquire at breakfast about the shifting rooms. Minerva finally found her bedroom and smiled as her eyes fell upon a large four poster bed. It looked so comfortable and she realised just how tired she was. The rest of the room was decked out much like the living room but in complete gold and bronze. There was a beautiful fireplace with a mantle that she could fill with photo frames and trinkets. A beautifully carved dressing table with a gold gilt mirror stood to her left. Everything about the room was comforting and welcoming.

"Professor McGonagall ..."

Minerva jumped and whirled around, her hand on her wand that was concealed in her pocket. Standing before her was a tiny house-elf. Big eyes filled with wonderment stared up at her.

"Oh, you gave me a fright," Minerva said gently as she slipped her hand out of her pocket.

"Soxy has so longed to meet you, Professor. Such an honour to serve you," replied the elf as she twisted her hands in a nervous way. "Soxy did not mean to frighten the esteemed Professor McGonagall. Bad Soxy! Bad!"

Minerva didn't like where this was going. She remembered house-elves of old and knew that the little elf before her would go punish herself if the conversation carried on down this path.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Soxy," said Minerva with a warm smile. "Are you to be my elf?"

"Soxy jumped at the chance," squeaked the elf. "Soxy brought Professor McGonagall a snack for Soxy thought the Professor may be hungry since she travelled a long way to Hogwarts."

"Thank you, Soxy," replied Minerva. "I could do with a little something before bed."

Soxy beamed a smile so bright and rushed off into the living room where she stood proudly next to a tray of many delights. An array of cream cakes, cheese, and biscuits were piled high on the silver tray. Most of the things would sit too heavy in Minerva's stomach at this time of night, but the ginger newts would be a welcomed nibble before bed. Soxy had poured a mug of warmed milk with nutmeg. It sat ready and waiting patiently for Minerva to sit down and relax.

Minerva sat down in one of the arm chairs and ate her ginger newt while Soxy looked on. Minerva had never liked people watching her eat and having Soxy watch her with interest made no exception. Minerva finished off the biscuit and the mug of milk and thanked Soxy again for thinking of her.

"No troubles for Professor McGonagall," she replied proudly. "Soxy wanted to make sure her Professor was comfortable."

After engaging in a few more minutes of polite conversation, Minerva bid the little elf a good night and another thank you before retiring to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Tomorrow she would start unpacking properly and finding homes for all her belongings. Tomorrow also brought the promise of seeing Albus Dumbledore.

Minerva awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and well slept. The bed had been just as comfortable as it had promised and had moulded around her as she slept. She lay there for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts before checking the time on the old Grandfather clock at that stood proudly in one of the corners of her bedroom. It was 6:10 am and that gave her plenty of time to dress for the day and make a start on the unpacking before breakfast at 9.00am.

Minerva bathed and dressed herself in plain black robes that had a touch of scarlet thread running through it. With delight, Minerva made a start on unpacking her boxes of books and, with a sense of purpose, she began to alphabetise her book case. She liked knowing where things were and setting her books out like this gave her the knowledge of things being in their place. She had always put her books like this, and her father who possessed what he called a great sense of humour would daily come into her bedroom and rearrange her books. It had been funny the first few times but after that it became a nuisance, and Minerva had developed a little charm to get her own back on her father. Till the end of time, she would never forget how her father had looked covered head to toe in bright green paint at the breakfast table after an ill-fated trip into her room to cause mischief.

Minerva smiled to herself as she remembered her beloved father. It had been four years since he had passed, quietly in his sleep after a long illness. She truly missed him and after all this time, she still had moments when she needed him. She could have done with his counsel right now. She could imagine what he would have said and she chuckled at the thought. She continued to unpack her books and then moved on to placing some of her trinkets.

A knock on the door brought a stop to the unpacking. She brushed down her robes and wondered if it was Hagrid calling on her to meet his pets before breakfast. She opened the door with a warm smile.

"Hello Minerva," greeted Albus Dumbledore.


End file.
